The Titans
by Rising Sun
Summary: Using the human body as the backdrop, the story is literally that - the story from the inside of what happens to Mac as she avoids hitting a child and her vehicle flips and she must now fight to save her own life. Question does she want to live?


Title: The Titans (An inside story)  
  
Author: Rising Sun  
E-mail: jag@lucianstuff.every1.net  
  
Rated: G  
Classification: AU  
  
Summary: Using the human body as the backdrop, the story is literally   
that - the story from the inside of what happens to Mac as she avoids   
hitting a child and her vehicle flips and she must now fight to save her   
own life. Question does she want to live?  
  
Disclaimer: JAG characters portrayed belong to JAG, CBS and   
Paramount Television. No copyright infringement intended. All other   
characters depicted are purely fictional and any similarities to actual   
people are purely coincidental.  
  
Authors Note: This one REALLY stretches the imagination. Can you   
keep up?  
  
Feedback: Would be nice.  
  
Story Written September 2001  
  
****************************************************  
  
BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL  
MAC'S ROOM  
  
It had been two weeks since Mac had almost collided with a child   
chasing a ball and here she was lifeless. The doctors had done all   
they could all he could do was wait.   
  
Harm was desperate. He had returned to work but spent all his spare   
time at Mac's side. With Mic long gone and Renee soon following   
there was no one for either but each other.  
  
Harm had already developed a system. He began by reporting the   
days JAG news and then reading. He'd found a seven part sci-fi story   
at her apartment and he was going to read every one to her.  
  
And if that failed he hedged his bets and prayed. No one knew what a   
coma patient went through he could only pray that she came back to   
him.  
  
============================  
  
TWO WEEKS EARLIER  
BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL  
MAC'S ...  
  
The room was empty but for four chairs and a table. It was not just   
empty of items the space was devoid of ... well it was just that ... more   
a void than anything else. The temperature was that of 37 degrees:   
body temperature but it still managed to give off the impression of   
being cold.   
  
The room was empty.  
  
The first to arrive was the Mind. She looked around, entered and   
involuntary shivered. As she lowered herself into the chair she   
wondered at the instinct that had brought her here.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity two others entered. They were   
Body and Heart. The three exchanged a glance as a greeting some   
how it didn't seem right to greet each other as long lost relatives. The   
silence was about to suffocate them all when:  
  
"Any one knows why we are here?" Body asked.  
  
"Not a clue" Heart responded.  
  
"Something is wrong and I mean terribly wrong with this body that we   
work." Mind said.  
  
Body glared at her. "Wrong? I don't like wrong far less terribly wrong.   
Can you be more specific?"  
  
"For one there is still one chair empty. What ever brought us here and   
for what ever reason, we need that fourth before we can function."  
  
"This is my first time in this chamber ... where are we?" Heart asked.  
  
"In an under utilized part of the Brain. Outsiders think that they are   
using ten percent of that organ. They haven't got a clue. Any way   
there are unused chambers all over the place. This is just one in   
many." Body explained.  
  
"One near the eyes I would think ... judging from the amount of light   
streaming in." Heart observed. "I think I know who we are waiting for."   
  
"Uh huh" Mind said knowingly.  
  
"I am Heart, you are Body and you are Mind. We are missing Soul."   
Heart concluded.  
  
"A summons for the Mind, Body, Heart and Soul to gather. I think you   
underestimated when you said terribly wrong ... I think we are facing or   
about to face a major crisis." Body said.  
  
Mind intoned "Standing Operating Procedure ... when facing a crisis   
gather the Titans. And so here we are seventy-five percent of the   
response team. "  
  
"Now what?" Asked Heart.  
  
"Review what we know." Mind directed.  
  
The Body got tense "There was an event."  
  
"Event?" Heart prompted.  
  
"Yeah. We were driving." Body continued.  
  
Heart took over "Yes! Yes! We were driving!"  
  
Body almost counted her words. "We - were - driving. We - were -   
crying."   
  
Mind summarized "OK we were distraught, and crying while we   
drove."  
  
Body jolted up "We crashed! We crashed the car! The child and the   
ball! We avoided the child and flipped the vette!"  
  
They looked at each other the horror of what had brought them to the   
chamber seeped in. "Are we dead?" Heart whispered.  
  
"No." Body declared. Then "I don't think so."  
  
"No." Mind agreed. "If we were dead we would not be gathered here.   
But something is definitely wrong. Do you recall anything else?"  
  
"Who can tell? I believe we were knocked out cold." Body replied.  
  
"Don't look at me." Mac's Heart pleaded, "Emotions function best with   
a live and an awake body."  
  
Suddenly the room lurched and the three went tumbling across the   
room.   
  
As their world righted itself Heart said, "I'm almost afraid to ask. What   
was that?"  
  
"An electric shock." Body replied. Before there could be any comment   
the room was rocked again. "That was the more of the same."  
  
Her Mind was focusing intently as she gripped the chair to remain   
steady, as a third shock wave came through. Then there was a clam.  
  
"Uh!" Body suddenly screamed.   
  
"What? Body! Are you OK?" Heart feared the worst.  
  
"I think a needle was stuck into the heart muscle." Body explained.   
Heart only looked at her. "I feel adrenalin not of my making in the   
system." She continued.  
  
Mind continued to focus intently. "Brace yourself it isn't over yet." She   
said. No sooner had the words been uttered, that the room began to   
rock but with a different rhythm. "CPR is being performed on this   
body."  
  
"Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation is only performed when the heart   
stops beating. This is beyond crisis." Body stated.  
  
"Are we dead?" Heart asked.  
  
"It would seem so." Mind conceded, "But if CPR is in progress we still   
have four minutes before brain damage sets in."  
  
"You think we will be shocked again?" Heart asked.  
  
"I do." Mind replied and on queue the body lurched three more times.   
  
When they were convinced that all was calm they resumed their   
seats.  
  
"According to the SOP when the body is faced with a crisis beyond   
that of the capacity of any one Titan then the four shall meet in a   
mutual chamber and decide on the matter of live and death. The four   
being: One - The Body the physical vessel comprising of muscles,   
bones, nervous system etc. and responsible for daily operations. Two   
... The Heart as the metaphysical entity responsible for the moods and   
emotions that make life oh so interesting. Three ... The Mind, the seat   
of intelligence and of memory and the supreme Titan and of course   
yours truly The Soul ... the immortal part of a human that survives   
death and will leave you all in the dust one day. But not today."   
Mac's Soul had finally made her appearance in the chamber.  
  
The four were now all together and a crisis had to be managed and a   
decision taken.  
  
"Soul oh Soul ... I thought we had seen the last of you." Heart   
squealed.  
  
"Correct me if I am wrong Soul but you were out of body weren't you?"   
Mind asked.  
  
"Correct. I never imagined that I would live to tell the tale. I mean; me   
in an out of body experience? Who would have thought." Soul said.  
  
"Tell us." Heart requested.  
  
"Well the crash happened and the body was rushed to the Hospital. I   
suddenly realized that I was no longer part of the action but I was   
watching the action." " Soul began the narration. "There I was like in   
some movie floating above and watching. We had gone flat line...   
dead. Hence my departure." She turned to Body, "Its true Body, the   
stuff we read on life after death. I was hovering there watching the   
medical folk ... the Outsiders - trying to revive us but soon I began to   
move away drawn towards a presence. I felt like I was returning the   
womb. There are really no words to describe exactly how I felt but it   
felt good, it felt right."  
  
"But they resuscitated the body and you had to return." Mind   
interjected.  
  
"Correct" Soul grumbled.  
  
"So now what?" Heart asked.  
  
"We are in a coma." Body stated in a matter of fact tone. The three   
focused as one on her.  
  
"Sleeping may be?" Heart offered.  
  
"Coma." Body stated.  
  
"That means a head injury." Mind surmised.  
  
"Add to that numerous cuts, bruises both internal and external, a   
compound fracture in the right leg, multiple breaks in the left arm,   
cracked ribs with a couple applying pressure to the left lung and   
internal bleeding." Body imparted the damage report. "We are in a   
bad way."  
  
"Any idea how long it will take to heal?" Heart asked.   
  
"That depends on the four of us. That is why we are here ... to   
pronounce judgment. Do we allow this body to live or die? It's called   
the will to live or not as the case may be." Soul said.  
  
"To live or die?" Heart breathed.  
  
"That is the sum total of it." Mind said. Then she took charge, "So   
what we have to do is list the pros and cons that will allow us to make   
that decision. In other words what lies out there that we want to return   
to or not."  
  
"Oh so logical." Heart sneered.  
  
"You do realize that the reason we are in this predicament may have a   
bearing on all this." Body added.  
  
"What we have to consider is are we ready to die? Have we done   
what the Almighty sent us here to do? Have we fully matured our   
talent? These are questions that will have to be answered. Answer   
that and we can face our GOD and be judged." Soul said.  
  
"This is getting biased." Body stated the obvious.  
  
"OK" Mind said. "Let's all consider our positions come back and state   
our case no matter what it may be the rest will review and at the end   
we'll see where that gets us."  
  
"When should we present?" Heart asked.  
  
"In two weeks." Mind replied.  
  
"I suggest the order as listed in the SOP that of Mind, Body, Heart and   
Soul." Body suggested. The others agreed.  
  
============================  
  
PRESENT  
BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL  
MAC's CASE OF THE MIND  
  
"What are we? What is the mind? How does it separate from the   
Brain? Is it separate from the Brain? Is there such a thing as a soul?   
Do we have one? What's it for? No offence Soul. The human being   
is a mass of confusion even onto itself. As such there have been   
many an effort over the eons to define who we are, to categorize us in   
the hope to understand what it is to be human. Is the human really   
just a collection of the four of us? Mind, Body, Heart and Soul? The   
four of us are gathered here is that the sum total of the entity called   
Sarah MacKenzie?  
  
I will be the first to point out that this body that we work in has its ups   
and downs. Yet we are an efficient machine; ambitious?   
Undoubtedly. We know what we want and in varying degrees of   
intensity we go after what we want. We push ourselves and we push   
the people that we care for. And unlike many we know EXACTLY   
what we deserve, desire and thus demand.   
  
So if we are indeed the mistresses of our destiny how did we get into   
this predicament? I suppose we don't control it all. We do, however,   
control this one moment in time. As we have been preparing our   
case, snippets of the outside world has filtered in. Out there Harm is   
arguing with this comatose vessel, praying to the Almighty and talking   
into our ear non-stop in an effort to keeps us in this life.  
  
So my friends I say let us live. There are people out there who want   
us back and as there are many more goals to achieve and we all   
know that ambition still burns within us.  
  
MAC's CASE OF THE BODY  
  
"I for one am tired and there are times when death does seem to be   
the only way to get some rest.  
  
Look at us. We are highly educated, easy on the eye in a job that   
gives us a high profile. All we do is work and work damn hard! Sorry   
Soul. Ever heard the saying: In this world a woman has to act like a   
lady, think like a man and work like a dog? Well folks it is true.  
  
I am tired and fed up.  
  
I ask why get up? What is out there but more hard work, more heart   
ache, no play and thanks to the power struggle between Heart and   
Mind no personal life either.   
  
I say to hell with it. Let me rest in peace."  
  
MAC's CASE OF THE HEART  
  
"OK OK.  
  
I accept the charge that I am to blame for this predicament. I was   
crying and eyes were blurred and before any one knew what was   
happening here we are in session.   
  
I ask myself is it really better to have loved and lost than never to   
have loved at all? Who knows? I sure don't. I was crying cause I was   
broken. Over whom? The usual Navy Officer this time it almost killed   
a child. I admit I need to get a girp.  
  
Do I want to die? Hell no! Sorry Soul. I learned long ago that if all   
has to be fair in love and war then it had better work in my favour. My   
vote is lets go live!"   
  
MAC's CASE OF THE SOUL  
  
Soul stood up and looked as if she was addressing religious   
gathering. I quote three passages at you:  
  
ONE from Psalm 121 - The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he   
shall preserve thy soul.   
The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time   
forth, and even forever more.   
  
TWO from Hippocrates Greek physician who lived from 460-370 BC -   
Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience treacherous,   
judgment difficult.   
  
And THREE from Desiderata - Therefore be at peace with GOD,   
whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labours and   
aspirations, in, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.   
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful   
world. Be careful. Strive to be happy.   
  
Thus I say to you: When my GOD is ready he will call me and I will go   
then and not before, I say we live." With that she sat down.  
  
The room was silent for a couple of seconds, and then Heart said it,   
"Three to one in favour of life. What happens now? Does it have to   
be unanimous? Or can we have a rule of majority?"  
  
Mind answered, "It MUST be a unanimous vote."  
  
============================  
  
SIX MONTHS LATER  
BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL  
MAC'S ...  
  
Six months later and the debate raged as if the first presentations had   
never been made. In the mean time the body remained in a state of   
deep unconsciousness from which the Titians would not allow it to be   
aroused. Added to which they steadfastly refused to respond to any   
external stimuli or to pain Harm was inflicting.  
  
"Look we have been here for seems like forever. When, will this   
end?" Heart wailed.  
  
"When we are unanimous." Soul replied.  
  
"You realize that due to what I refer to as 'the power' struggle between   
Heart and Mind left me the Body wasting away?"  
  
"Oh and you think that we are gaining weight in this comatose state?"   
Heart demanded.  
"At the very least we got the rest that Body demanded." Mind pointed   
out.  
  
"Touché." Body acknowledged. "How long have we been here?"  
  
"I estimate about six months." Mind replied. "What I want to know is   
what is the status of the head injury."  
  
"Almost ready to face the world." Body reported. "You would not   
imagine what those quacks out there have been up to."   
  
"The irony being that once we return we won't remember this debate   
to relay to anyone." Mind sneaked in.  
  
"I know what you are trying." Body revealed. "Tell you what. We need   
at least one more week to clean up the various chambers. The injury   
is virtually healed but we need the time to be really sure. Give us that   
time and I will concede to return with you all."  
  
"Amen! Sister! Amen!" Soul shouted.  
  
"I can live with that." Heart agreed.  
  
"Fine by me." Heart approved.  
  
"So let's talk a little about other things, for GOD willing I will never see   
this room again." Heart said.  
  
"GOD did you say?" Soul smiled as the four stared to chatter about   
non-life and death matters.  
  
============================  
  
ONE WEEK LATER  
BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL  
MAC'S ROOM  
  
Mac opened her eyes. "Hey sailor. You look like hell."  
  
THE END 


End file.
